What better time to have fun making precious traditional delicacies?
THE artichokes in oil they are a concentrate of taste, the simplicity and quality of the ingredients are the key to this traditional Maremma dish, they keep for several months and can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side dish or condiment for main dishes (pizza, rice salads, pasta).
Preservation in oil has been practiced since ancient times, and has allowed Tuscan families, especially Maremma, to have stocks of vegetables during the winter months, allowing, thanks to the lack of oxygen and the acidity of the oil, to bring food table still valid from a nutritional point of viewwhen the availability of fresh products was very limited.
Between April and May they are found in large quantities, difficult to resell in local markets; therefore it is worth taking advantage of it and the recipes are equally numerous. This article shows the tasty and unique Maremma one.
Preparation
Collect the immature lateral buds of the artichoke flowers, which are nothing more than small, closed tender flowers, around the main stem of the plant (the perfect size is between 5-8 cm).
Clean the artichokes, taking care to eliminate the toughest external leaves, then trimming the tip of the flower, so that they can be positioned comfortably upside down after boiling. Place water and vinegar in equal proportions in a saucepan; you can use either wine vinegar or, for an even more particular flavour, apple cider vinegar.
Once the fluid comes to the boil, throw the artichokes into the water and leave to cook for no more than 4-5 minutes. Drain with the help of tongs and place them to cool on a clean cloth for a few hours, also squeezing them a little because they will lose a lot of water.
Meanwhile, sterilize glass jars in boiling water for storage.
Once these operations have been completed, place the artichokes inside the jars, as close to each other as possible. Fill the jars with Maremma extra virgin olive oil which, with its typical intense and fruity taste and spicy and bitter hints, will enhance the freshness of the vegetables. Flavor with a mix of salt, black peppercorns, chilli pepper and, optional, fresh garlic and thyme. Then press the flowers gently to eliminate any air bubbles.
Place the jars in the pantry in the dark, which should be consumed no earlier than about ten days, when all the flavors have blended properly.
